False firming by Agriculture Department Odisha is exposed. There is no coordination in between Agriculture, Irrigation, Planning and Convergence. Both the departments have given different views regarding the irrigated land of the state. The government has shown intentness to get the correct data after receiving different views from different departments of the state government.
There is difference of opinion in between Agriculture and Planning and Convergence Department regarding paddy production and irrigated lands in the state. The Planning and Convergence Department has stated that the information provided by the Agriculture department is false. Agriculture department is engaged in false farming and kept the government and the people in dark.
Minister Usha Devi, Planning and Convergence, has stated that 33.2% of the produced paddy in the state are produced from the irrigated lands. The report of the Economic Survey of the state also provides same information. But the Agriculture minister Pradip Maharathi differs to it. There is 61.80 lakh hectre farming land in Odisha. 29.14 lakh hectre high land, 17.55 lakh Hectre middle land and 15.11 lakha hectre lands are down type land. In 2014-15 Kharip season, 34.67 lakh hectre lands and in Ravi season 17.02 lakh hectre lands were capacitated with irrigation. Sri Maharathi states that 54.4% paddy of the total paddy produced in the state is coming from irrigated lands. Now the conflict is whether the information provided by Agriculture minister is right or the information provided by Planning and Convergence ministry and Economic survey are right? Not only contradictory information was presented regarding paddy but there is contradiction in potato farming too.
According to the report of Economic Survey of Odisha, 76 thousand ton in 2010-11, 63 thousand ton in 2011-12, 65 thousands ton in 2012-13, 71 thousands ton in 2013-14 and 1 lakh 4 thousand ton in 2014-15 potato was produced. But the Agriculture minister Pradip Maharathi is not agreeing to the information provided by Planning and Convergence minister Usha Devi.
According to the information provided by Sri Maharathi, 1.91 lakh ton in 2010-11, 2.01 lakh ton in 2011-12, 2.01 lakh ton in 2012-13, 2.49 lakh ton in 2013-14, 2.68 lakh ton in 2014-15, 2.78 lakh ton in 2015-16 lakh ton potato was produced.
Two ministers of the same government are providing contradictory information. This has highlighted the false farming of the Agriculture department.